BY E. B. MURRAY & CO.
ANDERSON, S. C, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 25, 1880.
VOLUME XV.?NO. 37.
THE GRANGERS' NEW YEAR.
"Worthy Master's Address on the Condition
of the Order?The Duties-and Alms of the
Patrons of Husbandry" In South Carolina.
Delivered 6y tlte Hvn. J. A". Lipscomb, at the
recent Meeting of the State Grange.
Patrons: The year of 1879 has passed
, away, and you in the threshold of the
new year 1880 are now met in serious
conclave to consider, consult, devise
and determine what is most needed and
best for yourselves, your families, your
State and your country as to domestic,
pecuniary, social and civic welfare. At
j?aclmsae^ting, custom, co-existent with
*tne Order u?eiC makes it my duty to ad?
dress you, to inform you of the condition
and the past annual transtacions of the
Order, and to recommend action conduc?
ive to its future prosperity and advance?
ment
Since last you met the struggle to sus?
tain, revive and firmly establish the
Order in the State has been most patient?
ly, persistently;'earnestly and successful?
ly made by a'part of your officers, aided
by some of the Masters of Pomona and
subordinate Granges, and in some cases
conspicuously by individual Patrons un?
official'?. But in many portions of the
State, owing to the indifference and
apathy of the farmers and the culpable
negligence of Patrons, who, after allow?
ing themselves to be elected to and in?
stalled into office, proved recklessly re?
creant to the solemn pledges and duties
they assumed, the Order has not advanced
but declined.
_ In. all counties and sections wherever
-Patrons and their officers have done.their
whole duty the Order flourishes and ad?
vances by healthy progression, and it is
not wrong to say that with the same spirit,
devotion to duty, sense of obligation, pa?
tient and persistent :cor?, almost all the
counties of this State could and would
show as creditable and flourishing an ex?
hibit of the Order as Colieton, Darling?
ton, Newberry, Kershaw, Lancaster, York
and Spartan burg. In all cases of decline
or failure it is safe to say to those who were
<(jo -office, "You have done those things you
should not have done and left undone
?those things you should have done."
No organization, association, corporation
or body of any kind, either social or finan?
cial, reljgious or secular, ever succeeded
or-ever will succeed, unless its officers,
' leaders and .members work, and work
continuously, in its interest.- Who ever
made anything a success without devo?
ting to it time, toil, thought and money?
The great mistake made by the officers
of our Order has been and is that there
is no obligation where there is no salary.
This? rule would ruin any organization,
and the very opposite should prevail and
be taught by us that while a man
cannot be compelled to assume an office
that does or does not pay, when viewed
from an individual standpoint, still as a
member of any organization he is -bound
to assume and discharge the duties that
may be fairly and impartiallyimposed on
him at any time for the common good.
Further, that when by the aggregate
voice and for the common good he is
placed in non-paying offices, then the
obligation is imperatively iucumbent
Upon him to either refuse to be installed,
or being installed to more punctiliously
and sedulously discbarge all duties than if
amply paid. I lay great strees upon
-' this point, and urge that you will give it
your most mature consideration, for, in
my opinion, just here must be instituted
. or inaugurated any successful attempt to
reform and revive our Order or society
arid the civic and political condition of
our State and country. Look around
and you will see that offices are sought or
avoided as suits the welfare of the com?
munity, and offices, from the highest to
the lowest, are now considered prizes to
; be obtained by electioneering, manceuver
; irig, chicanery, deception and fraud.
This has been carried to such an extent
tbat there is but little pretence now made
to pnblic tone and morals, and it is rap?
idly sapping the very foundations of so?
ciety and civilization. The only remedy
is to establish and maintain that rule of
on? OnJefSvith regard' to office: "Tbat no
man shall seek an office or shirk one;"
"that the office shall seek the man, and
not the man the office." Patrons, stamp
this motto upon the banners of your Or?
der, and nail it to your masthead; carry
it into all the organizations to which you
individually belong, whether social, re?
ligious, financial, civic or political, and
demand that it be made an irrevocable
rule, and in the near future it will re?
dound in untold good to you and yours;
to your country and to civilization itself.
The existence and continued vitality of
--this Order in the United States is no ion
"~ger an experiment, and it is impossible
to foresee, foretell, or estimate its future
power and influence upon society, busi?
ness and government.
The National Grange,'at its meeting in
Canandiagua, New York, in November
last, considered, discussed and took ac?
tion upon questions of deep interest and
vast import to us, our Order and the
country. I invite your earnest at?
tention and consideration to their pro?
ceedings generally, but more especially
to the following, viz: The reports of the
Committees on American Agriculture, on
Co-operation, on Transportation, on Res?
olutions, and Preamble and Resolutions
offered by Bro. Brigbaro, W. M. of Ohio
State Grange, and report of Committee
on Dormant Granges, which are appen?
ded to and made part of this address.
Ry a study of these it will be seen that
the field was wide-spread, the
thought deep and strong, the expression
bold and manly, the conclusions decided
and determined, and the intentions plain?
ly and most unequivocally stated. While
I did, and may, dissent from some views
and doctrines contained in these and
other proceedings I am sure it will be
cordially admitted they are indubitable
evidence of devotion, zeal and interest in
and to the Order, and the people, in a
broad and liberal sense. Consider and
discuss them fully, giving full expression
to your endorsement or dissent. But one
.amendment was proposed to the Consti?
tution, and that I will lay before you for
your ratification or rejection, at the prop?
er time, and as is required in such cases.
Let me strongly urge you not to let this
session pass away without some very ef?
fective plans and rules being devised and
adopted as to the revival of dormant
Granges. While the Worthy Secretary
gives you encouraging information as to
the number revived, still there are too
many dormant, and I mnst loudly warn
tbat the time will scon come when the
door of revival will be finally closed and
the revocation of charter ensue.
Financial and business plans and pro?
positions will be offered for your consid?
eration; from them I confidently expect
to see you reap great benefit and satisfac?
tion, but as this is strictly private I will
withhold my views, and also "caution"
all as to the too frequent manner in
which financial and business matters are
discussed and spoken of, in violation of
the imperative injunction of our Order.
It affords me great pleasure to official?
ly inform you that by the wise and liberal
legislation of the General Assembly a
Bureau of Agriculture has been establish?
ed in this State. The department has
been organized and is at work. Notwith?
standing much unfavorable aud unfriend
ly prophesying concerning it, I mostsan
guinely and confidently expect and pre?
dict that it will be a great and maguifi
centsuccess,* annually growing in strength
and symmetry; annually expanding its
sphere and scope of work and usefulness;
bringing money, muscle and brain to aid j
in redeeming and rebuilding our state
and developing its immense resources,
now idle and useless; furnishing much
and varied information, useful, beneficial
and interesting to the entire agricultural,
mercantile and professional community
now within our borders, and inducing
many from without to come in. Let me
bespeak for it your confidence and sup
Eort, in return for which it will prove a
lessing to this State and people. And
now having been so handsomely and lib?
erally recognized as a class by our own
State Government, let us all, as agricul?
turist and as a people, use our right of
petition and our influence, and join our
voices to so many thousands of others
throughout this broad Union, to induce
Congress to make the Commissioner of
Agriculture of the United States a Cabi?
net officer, and raise his department to
equality in dignity and efficiency with
the others.
In view of the immense importance it
could be to, and the untold good it could
do for, that great producing class who
support the whole government and peo?
ple; the niggardly support given, and
the indifference shown by Congress to
the Department of Agriculture, is an out?
rage and an insuit that should no longer
be endured by a civilized and enlightened
people. On this subject I have a letter,
urging action, from Bro. D. Wyatt
Aiken, Worthy Past Master of this
Grange, and now one of the represenatives
of this State in the Uniled States Con?
gress, which I will lay before you.
Patrons, we are here in council to de?
vise and determine for the good and
welfare of our beloved order, of our wives
and little ones, our people and our State.
Let us think for a moment, and then try
to realize the immense power we can
wield, the immense good we can do, and
the great obligation resting upon us to
fully exert that power and to do that
Sood. Then at once to work; utilize this
hrder. While you strive to increase,
build up and strengthen it; at the same
time use it; make it work for you; keep
it bright and smooth by constant use.
Use it how ? Use it for everything good
that any social, educational, financial or
civic purpose that will benefit or interest
us and ours. All men have some special
order, organization or association to sub?
serve and promote the special interest of
a special class; and to get its benefits
for that single speciality, they expend
any amount of time, thought, toil and
money needed to succeed. This order,
thus used, and thus treated, will return
a thousand fold for all expended upon iL
Then sustain it well, and use it well.
Use it at home, in the neighborhood, in
the township, iu the county, in the
State, in the Union and with foreign
countries. Use it from the minutest in?
terests and objects of the home and fami?
ly to the grandest schemes of statesman?
ship and diplomacy. It is actually im?
possible for us agriculturists and farmers
to any longer derive sufficient profits from
our toil and labor to feed and support
our families, without this or some similar
organization by which we can relieve
and protect ourselves from the ruinous
exaction of State and Federal legislation,
and customs of trade, and the unjust and
extortionate discriminations of corpora?
tions and monopolies. The earth yields
bountiful crops, improved implements,
and increased intelligence enables the
husbandman to reap more and more each
year; the prices of produce at points of
consumption are good, and a fair de?
mand for the whole supply exists; but
still, with all this agriculture is on the
decline; the farmers are getting poorer
each year; each year more and more of
them become bankrupt; each year the
number of landowners becomes smaller
and smaller, and unless some change is
made, or remedy applied, it is only a
question of time when wholesale bank?
ruptcy and ruin will overwhelm them as
a class. Why is this? Because there is
an abnormal and undue amount of or?
ganization and combination antagonistic
to agriculture, and absolutely none in its
defence or behalf. The poor individual
farmer stands singly and alone confron?
ting an army of thousands, trained, drill?
ed, officered, organized, armed, equipped,
supplied and "ready to move at a
moment's notice;" and there stands the
farmer with nothing I As one of our sol?
diers once complained, "nothing to eat
and nothing to cook it in ;" nothing to
shoot, and couldn't shoot it if be had ; no
ammunition but a dozen "bird shot," and
a spoonful of wet powder all mixed to
gether in his "breeches pocket;" no sup?
plies but a little "lien," "dry salt" meat ;
no one to help him, and he can't help
himself. So when the contest begins
who can and will get the most of the an?
nual crops of this poor farmer while it is
in transilu from him to the consumer ?
It can be easily seen how much chance
he stands. It is a wonder he gets any at
all. This is repeated annually until
hard work and bard living bring him
premature death to end his misery. Is
this picture true? Look and judge for
yourselves. Look around! You will
see the evidences of extravagance aud
prodigality, both governmental and social,
pnblic ana private, spead broadcast over
the whole country. The government
and whole people recklessly plunging in?
to wasteful and unprofitable consumption
and expenditure, all of which must be
paid for by these annual products or
values derived from the toil and sweat of
the farmer. To raise the means to sup?
port all this governmental and social ex?
travagance it becomes necessary to so
shape the legislation of the country, both
Federal and State, foreign commercial
treaties, revenue laws and taxes, that all
government^, corporations, combinations
and monopolies may be able to seize and
appropriate almost the entire amount of
toe proceeds of agricultural labor, leav?
ing a bare pittance to support existence.
I solemnly ask you is this to continue
without any effort to check or change it ?
To check or change it will require some?
thing beside individual effort or work;
ic will require complete, thorough and
strong combination and organization of
nurrfoers of people. Ifanyonecan give
us a better or stronger, let him do so at
once, but uutil something better is found,
let us hold on to this Order, and use it to
save ourselves from ruin and destruction.
Let us avail ourselves of this meeting in
this our beautiful "City by the Sea," to
remove the many misapprehensions that
exist as to the objects and tenets of our
Order; show and convince all who will
listen, that we are not dastructive or
militant; that we seek to injure none;
that we are conservative and defensive;
that we only seek to get the same benefit
and aid from organization and co-opera?
tion, in our pursuits and undertakings,
that all others around us are getting;
that we propose no innovations on long
established rules of business. That while
we seek to remove all useless and worth?
less manipulations, producing exactions
aud taxes without value of products in
transilu from the farmer and manufactu?
rer to the consumer, still we are willing
and expect that all needed manipulation,
handling and carriage shall receive full
compensation; that wc seek to inform
ourselves how and where to sell most
profitably, and to buy most economically;
that by selling and buying together, we get
the benefit quantity always gives in either,
and in freights and charges. That we
seek and desire the most friendly relations
with commercial and business men and
companies; that we claim and confident?
ly assert that if we could, and should
consummate our undertakings, it would
redound in benefits to business and other
classes equally with the agricultural;
that they and all should aid us, "as we
work for all." We do not claim that the
annual crops belong to the husbandman
alone, but admit it to be a common prop?
erty, belonging to all who work or serve
the community, either physically or men?
tally, and each is entitled to claim in
proportion to the value of the services
rendered, but no more; and we deny the
right of those who neither work nor serve
to any share at all.
No matter how much conflict there
may be between the agricultural class
ana! interests and other classes and
interests in other States aud coun?
tries, still it is safe to say there is and
should be none in this State. No enter?
prise based upon capital, commerce, trade,
manufactures, or transportation, has yet
reached such magnitude and power in this
State as to sensibly cause it to directly
antagonize the great and fundamental in?
terest of agriculture, and, whenever it is
attempted, it is by those who, failing to
realize and understand the interets they
represent are tempted by inordinate and
selfish greed and aggrandizement to a
course that is not endorsed by judgment
or approved by conscience. Then let
us invite and appeal to the sense and wis?
dom of the leaders of all classes and in?
terests to join and aid us in devising and
inaugurating plans and schemes that
will revive and foster the languishing ag?
ricultural interest of the State and coun?
try ; join us to influence and cause more
considerate and friendly legislation and
action, both State and Federal; aid us to
remove some of the too many heavy and
unjust burthens with which agriculture is
now so loaded as to crush and stifle it.
Then will it soon revive and prosper, con?
ferring sustenance, profit and happiness
of not only those immediately engaged
in it, but also on all of every class and
interest.
May your session be harmonious, pleas?
ant and fraternal; may your work be so
well and wisely done, and its fruits so
sweet and abundant as to entitle you to
the praise and thanks of those you repre?
sent, and cause you to be glad that you
are here.
A Stenm Road-Wngon.
During the winter months Professor
Saroni has been busy in perfecting his
steam wagon, and he will this week for?
ward bis model of the machinery to
Washington, D. C, for the purpose of
securing letters patent upon it, he having
so far been operating under a simple
caveat. Since the appearance of the ap?
paratus upon the streets last fall it has
been vastly improved. By a double sys?
tem of clutches and pulleys, one at each
end of the driving shaft, the power can
be applied for speed or for Blow work
with heavy draught. But the greatest
novelty that has been introduced into the
machinery is a system of propulsion for
ub6 in case of ascending a steep bill.
Taking an idea from the fact that a horse
can draw a much heavier load than its
own weight, the inventor has introduced
two .sets of levers that correspond exactly
in movement and in the application of
power with the two hind legs of a horse,
the one alternating with the other, pre?
cisely as do the limbs of the animal. It
is difficult, without diagrams, to illustrate
how this is accomplished, but its effect
can be understood with sufficient clear?
ness from the foregoing comparison.
The second important advauce made is
in a device for the rapid generation of
steam, which is a marvel of ingenuity, as
well as a marvel of success. As former?
ly, gasoline is the fuel employed, and the
flame is made to play upon pumice-stone,
which heat to a whiteness, and thus not
only creates a reservoir of constant heat,
but should the flame be temporarily ex?
tinguished by a sudden jerk of the ma?
chinery, as it is apt to be, it is rekindled.
The pumice-stone occupies the fire-box
above which are arranged coils of pipe
containing the water, which are so ar?
ranged as to give the water both lateral
and longitudinal motion, and to permit
the sediment to settle in the lower pipes
on the side of the fire-box, where it can
be readily taken out. A second nnd
smaller boiler is used to generate steam
first, and this super-heated steam is con?
ducted to a nozzle, at the end of which
and below it is placed closely a second
nozzle. This portion of the apparatus is
similar to the atomizers which are so
familiarly known and used in procuring
fine spray from bottles of perfume, and
the action of the steam atomizer invented
by Professor Saroni is precisely similar
to that of a perfume bottle. The jet of
superheated steam, as it emerges from its
nozzle, meets a jet of gasoline vapor from
the nozzle immediately below the steam
nozzle, and steam and gas are together
projected into the fire-box in that infin?
itely divided condition so favorable to
chemical combination, resulting in in?
tense combustion and the rapid produc?
tion of heat. As soon as the pumice
stone has thus been sufficiently heated,
the atomizers are shut off and the ordi?
nary service jets are turned on. By this
means steam can be generated from cold
water to a pressure of 100 pounds in four
minutes. It may be added that the "leg
propulsion," if it may be so termed, can
be used with or without the slow-motion
Eulley, or the locomotive apparatus may
e entirely uncoupled, and the power ap?
plied to driving a thrashing-machine,
with the wagon remaining stationary.?
Si. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press.
Attacked dy an Eagle.?Mr. Law
nisky, a Polander who came to this coun?
try from Michigan, and who resides ten
miles east of here, was greatly frightened
on last Wednesday by an occurrence
which placed his little boy Varaf, in a
parilous position. The child, Varaf, was
in the barn-yard feeding corn to the
chickens,and in the work finding a child?
ish amusement. The little boy's bubbles
of glee, blown through the reed of joy
soon burst, and cries of distress were
borne upon the air to the father's ears.
An eagle which had been soaring above
the yard for some time, had pounced upon
the lad, and commenced an attack upon
him with its talons. The child, rendered
heplcss by extreme fright, was dragged
along the ground a short distance by the
rapacious representative of a ten-dollar
gold coin, and would no doubt have been
seriously injured but for the opportune
arrival of the father, who, with remarka?
ble presence of mind, picked up a rail
and beating the bird off from its intended
victim soon dispatched it. The boy
suffers more from the shock occasioned
by the fright than by the few scratches.
The bird measured 7* feet in length
and is of the bald species.?Arkansas
Traveller.
AT OUTSPOKEN CONGRESSMAN.
TU? Hon. D. Wyatt Alkcn Fxpliilns Ills
Vlows and Action on tlic Political Akkcs?
mentM Bill.
Washington, March 15,1880.
To the Editor of the News and Courier:
In your issue of the. 13th inst., appeared
the following:
some moke "food for thought."
"Is it possible that Congressman Aiken
favors the infamous system of assess?
ments upon public officers for political
purposes? We cannot believe that he
does. But if he does not, why did he
move to lay on the table the Anti-As?
sessment bill, having as his followers
all the Republicans aud only two Demo?
crats, Moore, of Massachusetts, and
Wells, of Missouri?"
Of whom do you make this inquiry?
Is it of me, or of that public whose opin?
ion you would, I fear, haply if you
could, mould to my demerit? There is
an insinuation always shrouded in inter?
rogatories submitted as you submit the
above, that to my mind suggests a sinis?
ter motive in propounding the inquiry.
If, however, in this instance this impres?
sion is groundless, and I am mistaken in
my view of the matter, 1 will only be
pleased to know I am incorrectly im?
pressed. But as Sam Scott, the Catawba
Indian chief of my boyhood days, would
say under similar circumstances, "It
smells like it."
During the extra session of last spring
the committe on civil service reform re?
ported a bill prohibiting assessments
upon public officers for political purposes.
Another feature of the Dili was to make
it a penal offence for such officers to allow
themselves to be assessed for such purpo?
ses. The discussion upon this bill con?
sumed over two weeks of the extra ses?
sion, and caused much "bad bloud" be?
tween the two parties, resulting in re?
peated and contiuued abuse of the South,
and the "Confederate Brigadiers" in the
House, with never a friend from the
North, glorious Democrats though they
be, to raise his voice in our defence, save
a few words from Gen. Tom' Ewing of
Ohio.
Asa special order set for a certain day
this session this bill came up again, and
had monopolized more than a week's time
since the 1st of December last. Mr.
House, of Tennessee, made an exhaust?
ive speech of two hours and a half against
the civil service reform policy ot Mr.
Hayes, and indirectly in favor of the bill.
Similar time was allowed the Republi?
can side of the House. That was con?
sumed, and the member presenting the
bill moved the previous question. The
Republicans demanded further time to
discuss the bill, and a large number of
Democrats were disposed to grant it.
The gentleman (Hostetler, of Indiana,)
having the bill in charge persistently re?
fused, and the Republicans began to
"filibuster" by refusing to vote at all;
and the Democrats not having a quorum
of the whole House present, had the
point made upon them after every vote,
that a "quorum was not present." A call
of the House was ordered, and 243 mem?
bers answered to their names. Another
vote was ordered, the roll called, about
130 Democrats voted, but noRpublicans;
and another poiut of order that there was
no quorum.
At this stage of the contest I saw an
evident disposition on the part of the
Democrats to open up discussion again.
Cui bonot Simply to allow the Republi?
cans another opportunity to abuse the
South, and shake unmercifully the
poor old tattered and torn bloody shirt in
our faces.
Meantime the bill had been so loaded
down with amendments from both Demo?
crats and Republicans that its author
would not have known his bantling,
wrapped as it was in its variegated gar?
ments.
Then it was that I rose and asked if
it would be in order to lay the bill and
amendments on the table? Being told
that it would be, I made that motion,
which was lost by nine votes; but I be?
lieve the defeat of. my motion has ac?
complished what I desired?the with?
drawal of this stupid bill from the con?
sideration of the House. I had opened
the way to more practical and useful leg?
islation.
But as you have forced me into the pa?
pers again, let the whole truth be told.
After my motion was made, and the
House in great confusion were wrang?
ling over some points of order, the au?
thor of the bill, (not the member having
it in charge, but the author) came to me,
and asked me to modify my motion.
And no less than a score of Democrats
voluntarily said: "Aik^n, if you had
moved to recommit I would have voted
with you, but I won't vote to table the
bill." And this was the voice of the en?
tire South Carolina delegation.
Do you comprehend the difference?
Had it been recommitted to the committee
it would have remained in Democratic
hands, and could have been amended
satisfactorily and presented in a different
garb in the future; or it could have been
smothered in the committee, and would
never have again been heard of. But to
bave laid it on the table would have been
voting to suit the wishes of the Republi?
cans, and, therefore, an acknowledged
quasi-defeat of the Democratic majority,
which would bave had a tendency to
demoralize the party.
There were not a baker's dozen mem?
bers that thought the bill wise; nay,
more than half the Democrats thought
it unwise, indefensible, and would prove
a dead-letter upon ourStatute books if en?
acted into law. But the party had sworn
the "horse was sixteen feet high," and
they proposed to "fight it out on that
line." I was not in at the swearing, and
thought it not wise to take the oath.
That's all there is about it.
One word further. There are over fif?
teen thousand clerks in Washington; per?
haps ten thousand are men, and all of
them are Republicans. Suppose each
one of them gave ten dollars for a cam?
paign fund, as they did last summer, to
elect Foster governor over Ewing in
Ohio, there will be a fund of $100,000.
How will you prevent this amouut being
raised? This bill says such an assess?
ment shall not be made.
Suppose these clerks know that their
continuance in office depends upon Re?
publican success next Fall, and they go
forward and voluntarily give ?20 each,
thus raising 8200,000 for the Republican
campaign, what steps would you take to
prevent it ?
This bill says, that shall bo considered
a penal offence. What?punished for dis?
posing of your money asyou think proper
after you have earned it? As well tell
me that, after I had sold a bale of cotton
the money received for it should not be
spent as I thought proper. These two
points in the bill will show you the per?
fect inutility of enacting such legislation
as it proposed.
One more postscript. I hold myself
amenable to those who .-cut meliere, and
am ever ready to give account of my
stewardship, but 1 protest being held to
account by those who, ignorant of the
surroundings, seem ever willing to attack
mo for political apostaey. I am no autom?
aton, and I do not believe it is the wish
of my constituency that I should be.
Neither do I propose to "go it blind"
upon any question solely because it is
Democratic. I claim the right of exer?
cising private judgment on all political
questions upon which I am called to leg?
islate, and if upon examination I find I
differ in my views with those with whom
I am in accord politically, I propose to vote
as my judgment dictates. If called to
account, I will be prepared to show
cause both for my faith and my works.
Very truly, D. Wyatt AlKEN.
A Texan Genius.
A Texan farmer made a discovery on
the 8th which certainly bids fair to raise
him to more prominence in his own State
then if he had found a new asteroid of
the nineteenth magnitude, right ascen?
sion, 23 north, or invented a new steam
pump. Surely and tersely the discovery
was a method for the extermination of
the Texan ant. Next to every one knows
that the ant is an insect that must be
dealt with prudently yet vigorously, com?
batively yet with caution. From the
microscopic but highly-flavored species
than haunts the sugary spots of the cub
board to the fierce and intractable pic?
nic variety, the ant is a creature inculcat?
ing feelings of profoundest respect, not
to say awe, in the human breast, and
there is not a housekeeper in the broad
land that can look unmoved upon him
when once he has established his home
in the neighborhood and gone actively
into the business of multiplication and
increase. Professor Doremus, of New
York, once estimated that there were
19,344 different species of ants in Ameri?
ca; and the Galveston News, promptly
recognizing the situation, rose and
claimed 19,323 of those species ns the ex?
clusive property of Texas. Selfish and
inconsiderate as this claim may seem, it
has never been contested; and since the
Encyclopaedia Brittanica, in the new
edition, has accorded 19,300 varieties to
Texas, it will be seen that the Gavelston
News's apparently violent and boastful
claim is well backed up by sciectific au?
thority. But to the discovery.
The Texan farmer whose fame bids fair
to rival that of the discoverer of America
was in such humble circumstances. a
year ago that he was only able to keep
two hogs and one ants' nests on his
ranche, twenty miles beyond Unvalde,
on the Rio Frio. Being still further re?
duced, he determined to give up the
ants and cling only to the hogs. The
resolution was easily made. But how to
give up the ants??ah, that was harrow?
ing. The farmer got out his two sons
and three spades and started to dig up
the nest. In two minutes after break?
ing ground the impracticability oi min?
gling excavation with war dance and pro?
fanity became painfully evident, and he
and his heirs retired to disrobe and ap?
ply arnica and ponder new methods of
revenge. Next day he poured two
pounds of powder down the main hatch
and touched it off. This blew half a
million of ants to kingdom come, and
excited the rest, but next morning they
were at work, cheerful as ever, having
just discovered where the farmer kept
his corn meal. Then he poured a gallon
of kerosene down the hole and set it
on fire. The ants didu't like this, but kept
holiday in the cellar while the thing was
blazing and then came out again. Then
the farmer tried hot water, vinegar,
nitric acid, molasses, Paris green and
ammonia. He built bonfires over the
nest by night and rammed gunpowder
and nitro-glycerine in it by day. No use.
He tried prayer?the ants got away with
his bag of cracked wheat. He tried
profanity?they invaded his pork barrel.
Ho sat down in calm despair?they
crawled up his trousers and chewed the
calmness right out of him. He dissem?
bled?ha, hal yes he dissembled, and he
watched. One day he saw an ant
crawl along the top of a now empty
cracker box and over on a straw to the
muzzle of a beer bottle near by, look
down the abyss and then drop in. The
discovery was made I The farmer danced
a solemn festal dance, got out his old
bottles, and waited for night. Next
morning the unsuspecting insects rose
and came out to disport themselves.
Around the main entrance to their laby?
rinth there were five small but curious
looking holes. They investigated. One
deputation dropped in after another, but
not one came back. The camp was thrill?
ed with curiosity. The rush to the holes
was tremendous?till, towards evening,
not an ant could be found, when the
farmer came forth, unearthed the demi?
johns, built a huge fire, and consigned
fifteen gallons of ants to perdition. The
plan is so simple and yet so efficacious.
All Texas is in arms and ecstasy, dig?
ging around ant nests and planting bot?
tles. . The farmer has been presented
with a gold medal by the City Council of
Galveston, and the public-spirited citi?
zens of Unvalde voted him a card of
thanks in the Cattle Dealer of the 23d.
? That gold crosses are often hollow
is well enough known, but few persons
have discovered what a french writer has
?the use to which this vacant space is
put by English ladies. It is filled, he
says, with cordial, or sherry, or brandy,
for sipping in public places; and thus
the religious symbol is made to adminis?
ter to creature com fort. "This custom can
be observed nightly at the opera, where a
charming young English lady is in the
habit of pressing to her lips at the most
Fathetic passages an enormous gold cross."
f this story is an invention it is at least in?
genious.
? The uniform green color of the
vegetable world is due to chlorophyll.
This substance, however, exists only in
minute quantity in plants, the leaves of
a large tree containing perhaps not more
than 100 grains. It appears to bo a di?
rect product of the action of the sun?
light upon vegetation, as it docs not exist
in plants kept in darkness. The changes
in the color of leaves in autumn are sup?
posed to be due to the oxidation of their
chlorophyll.
? The Westminister Review reckons
the public debts of the world at the pres?
ent time at ?24,000,000,000. The rail?
way iudebtedncsa baa been estimated at
?0,000,000,000, and municipal debts at
$5,000'000,000, thus bringing the public
indebtedness of the world up to the vast
sum of $85,000,000,000. It is not expec?
ted that this will ever be paid, but it
constitutes an annual lien on the indus?
try of the world of $1,700,000,000.
? An unusually large kangaroo has
just been placed on exhibition at Cen?
tral Park, New York. Within the last
few days too young elephants from
India and an iguana from South America
have been added to the collection of ani?
mals. The iguana is of the chameleon
species, five feet in length, and is the only
species in this country. It is of a dark?
ish brown color, with changes in the sun?
light. Bananas are its only food.
Workingmen.?Before you begin your
heavy spring work after a winter of re?
laxation, your system needs cleansing
and strengthening to prevent an attack
of Augue, Billious or Spring Fever, or
some other Spring sickness that will un?
fit you for a season's work. You will
use one bottle of Hop Bitters in your
I family this month. Don't wait.?Bur?
lington Hawkege.
THE STATE DEMOCRACY.
Constitution of tho Ucniocrntlc Party of
South Curuliiui.
The Constitution of the Democratic
party of South Carolina, which was
adopted by the State Convention, and
went into force in tho campaign of 1878,
is as follows:
Article I. There shall be one or more
Democratic Clubs organized in each elec?
tion precinct, each of which Clubs shall
have a distinct title, "The-Demo?
cratic Club," and shall elect a President,
one or more Vice-Presidents, a Record?
ing and a Corresponding Secretary, and
a Treasurer, and shall have the following
working committees, of not less than
three members each, viz: A Committee
on Registration, an Executive Committee
and such other Committees as lo each
Club may seem expedient.
Art. II. The meetings of the Clubs
shall be frequent after the opening of the
canvass, and some member of the Club
or invited speaker deliver an address at
each meeting if practicable.
Art. III. The President shall have
power to call an extra meeting of the
Club, and - members of the Club
shall constitute a quorum for the transac?
tion of business.
Art. IV. The Clubs in each county
shall be held together and operate under
the control of a County Executive Com?
mittee, which shall consist of one mem?
ber from each Club, to be nominated by
the respective Clubs and elected by the
County Convention, and such other mem?
bers as the Convention may add.
The Executive Committee, when elec-1
ted, shall appoi.it its own officers and fill
all vacancies w'jich may arise when the
Convention is not in session. The tenure
of office of the Executive Committee
shall be until the next general campaign,
unless sooner removtd or suspended by
the County Convention.
The present County Executive Com?
mittees shall continue in office until the
first meeting of the County Conventions
under this organization.
Art. V. County Democratic Conven?
tions shall be composed of delegates elec?
ted by the several Local Clubs?one del?
egate for every Club, and an additional
delegate for every twenty-fire (25) en?
rolled members?with the right to each
County Convention to enlarge or dimin?
ish the representation according to cir?
cumstances. This Convention shall be
called together by the Chairman of the
Executive Committee, under such rules
as each county may adopt, and when
assembled 3hall be called to order by the
Chairman of the Executive Committee,
and shall proceed to elect from among its
members a President, one or more Vice
Presidents, a Secretary and Treasurer.
The Convention shall proceed to busi?
ness, and when the same is transacted it
shall adjourn sine die.
Art. VI. The mode and manner of
noir.iuating candidates for county olIiceB
or for delegates to the State, Judicial aud
Congressional Conventions shall be reg?
ulated in each county by the respective
County Conventions.
Art. VII. The State Convention shall
be composed of delegates from each
county in the numerical proportion to
which that county is entitled in both
branches of the General Assembly.
Art. VIII. The officers shall be a
President, one Vice-President from each
Congressional District, two Secretaries
and a Treasurer.
Art. IX. The . State Executive Com?
mittee shall be composed of three from
each Cougressional District. The dele?
gates from the counties comprising the
Congressional District to nominate the
candidates from that district, and the
Convention shall then proceed to an elec?
tion.
Art. X. The Executive Committee
shall elect its own Chairman and other
officers, and shall meet at the call of the
Chairman or any five members, at such
times and places as he or they may ap?
point.
Aet. XI. The Executive Committee
shall have power, by the vote of a ma?
jority of the whole Committee, to call a
Convention of the Democratic party of
the State at such time and place as it
may designate; and is charged with the
execution and direction of the policy of
the party in the State, subject only to
this Constitution, the principles declared
in the platform, and such instructions,
by resolution or otherwise, as the State
Convention may from time to time adopt;
and shall continue in office for two years
from the time of election, or until the
assembling of the next State Convention
for the nomination of a Slate ticket, un?
less superceded by the action of the State
Convention. And if any vacancy be
occasioned by death, removal, or other
cause, the Committee shall have power
to fill the vacancy.
Art. XII. When the State Democratic
Convention assembles, it shall be called
to order by the Chairman of the State
Exccutiee Committee, shall elect a tem?
porary President, and 6hall proceed im?
mediately to the eleclion of permanent
officers aud tho transaction of business.
The Convention, when it has concluded
its business, shall adjourn sine die. And
when a Convention is called by the Ex;
ecutive Committee, such Convention
shall be composed of newly elected dele?
gates.
Art. XIII. Representation in Judicial
and Congressional Conventions shall be
on the same basis as in State Conven?
tions. A majority of delegates shall be
present at a Convention to constitute a
quorum for nominating a candidate
either for Congress or Solicitor. The
delegation of each county in a Congress?
ional or Judicial Convention shall have
power to fill auy vacancy in the delega?
tion.
It; every Convention to nominate a
candidate lor Congress or for the office of
Solicitor a majority of the votes shall be
necessary to a choice, and the vote shall
be taken viva voce and recorded, unless
there is but one candidate, in which
event the vote may be taken by acclama?
tion. As soon as a Congressional or Ju?
dicial Convention has nominated the
party caudidate for Congress or Solicitor,
it shall adjourn sine die, and whenever a
candidate to till an unexpired term of
either office has to be nominated, it ?hall
he done by a new Convention of dele?
gates fresh from the people. The Exec?
utive Committee of each Congressional
District or Judicial Circuit shall consist
of the several County Chairmen of the
respective counties composing such Dis?
trict or Circuit, which Committee shall
elect its own Chairman, Secretary and
Treasurer, who shall continue in oflico
for two years in a District and for four
years in a Circuit, respectively, or until
their successors shall have been elected.
It 6hall require the consent of a majority
of the whole Executive Committee in
any District or Circuit to call a Nomi?
nating Convention.
The Executive Committee of each Dis?
trict or Circuit shall be specially charged
in its discretion, except as herein pro?
vided, and subject to the State platform,
as well as under the supervision cr the
Slate Executive Committee, with the
conduct of every election for Congress?
ional Representatives or Solicitors in
such District or Circuit, and said Com?
mittee shall meet at the call of the Chair
man or of any three members at such
times and places as he or they may ap?
point.
Each Congressional Convention shall
meet within its Congressional District,
and each Judicial Convention shall meet
within its Circuit.
Art. XIV. This Constitution shall not
go into force until the State campaign of
1878.
What the Ex-President Thinks the
Country Owes II im.
When he was first elected to the Presi?
dency, Gen. Grant claims that it was by
the imperative desire of the whole Nation.
Tbe cry for him was so powerful that
politicians had no power to oppose his
nomination, and he was so stnng that he
did not require their support. He was
elected by the voice of the people in op?
position to the politicians. Being thus
elected, it was his aim to weaken the
power of professional politicians, and in
order to do so he withdrew from the Sen?
ators who were in Congress at his inau?
guration their share of patronage. The
consequence was that he incurred the
hatred of the whole tribe, and they are
now opposed to his renomination. In
something of the same way, he says, he
incurred the hatred of journalists. Dur?
ing the war it was his constant object to
snub them and to refuse them any assis?
tance in the prosecution of their labors.
The consequence of this snubbing of the
press has been, according to Gen. Grant,
that almost every newspaper in the Uni?
ted States has always been opposed to
him. At the lime of his re election the
press was bitterly hostile to him, yet he
was triumphantly chosen by the people,
and what has been done once can be done
again. If there should be a Plebiscite,
it is the opinion of Gen. Grant and his
party thnt he would receive the votes of
nine-tenths of the American people.
Outside the honor and power that a
Third Term would confer on him, there
are several other reasons to make Gen.
Grant anxious to obtain the nomination
of his party. He says he is a poor man,
not even as well off as hisyoungson, who
is practicing law in New York. When
he was elected President he was obliged
to resign his position iu the army, and
in consequence of the failure of the
Constitution to provide a pension for an
ex-President, he now finds himself with?
out profession or business, and well ad?
vanced in years. The proposal made to
!iim to take the presidency of the com?
pany to be formed to construct the Isth?
mus' canal was the work of politicians,
who hoped by his acceptance of it to re?
move a powerful and dangerous candi?
date. Again, it will probahly be neces?
sary, he thinks, to have as the Republican
candidate a man of tried nerve and firm
uess. When, at the last election, the
Commission declared Mr. Hayes Presi?
dent, Gen. Grant took decided steps to
have him inaugurated. His preparations
were complete to use military force, in
case the Democrats attempted to enforce
the claims of Mr. Tilden; that gentle?
man, the recalcitrant Democratic sena?
tors, and Mr. Randall would immediately
have been arrested and imprisoned iu
Washington, and any State governments
that objected would have been seized by
the military. It was the knowledge of
these preparations that deterred the
Democrats from any effort to capture the
Presidency, but it required Gen. (Jrant
to take these effective steps. Now Mr.
Hayes, "the present incumbent," as Gen.
Grant euphemistically terms him, is a
very weak man, and should the number
of votes for each candidate be anything
like as close as in 1876, he might not as?
sert the rights of the party. Even if by
the aid of a "solid South," a Democrat
should be elected by a small majority, it
is not unlikely that trouble would ensue,
for the North and West would not readily
submit to a Government chosen by that
means. What, then, is the-natural result
of all this? In Gen. Grant's opinion it
is necessary that the Republican candi?
date should be a man who will not hesi?
tate to use proper force to obtain his
rights, and the man who would not fear
to order out the military is the candidate
who is wanted.
Moreover, as between the different
leaders of the Republican party, it is
Gen. Grant's opinion that the antago?
nism between Conklingand Blaine would
render either of them a weak candidate,
and Secretary Sherman would be still
weaker. The financial policy under
which resumption has taken place was
no creation of Mr. Sherman, and his
loudly vaunted success is due entirely to
the policy begun and planned by Gen.
Grant. During the incumbency of Mr.
Hayes, the real power has been in the
hands of Sherman, and every one knows
how it has been used. If any one wanted
an office it would be much better to be
refused by Hayes and supported by Sher?
man than to be promised an office by
Hayes and have Sherman only a luke?
warm supporter.
The foregoing are the sentiments ex?
pressed by Grant and his companions in
conversation since their departure from
Cuba. The one leading idea that seems
to possess them is the necessity of having
a Republican candidate who will not hes?
itate to call out the military and employ
force if by any chance there is a contro?
versy as to which candidate is elected in
November next.?Mexico City Correspon?
dence N. Y. Sun.
Why We Bdtter Our Bread.?The
layers of the wheat berry, as we proceed
toward the centre, become more and
more completely starchy, and at the cen?
tre but little else is found, and this por?
tion makes the finest flour. The finer
the flour the less fit it is for nutrition.
In its natural state, the wheat, with all
its components present, is not fitted for
perfect human development. There is
deficiency in the potential heat-produc?
ing materials, especially for cooler clim?
ates, there being only 2 per cent, of fat
in wheat. We instinctively supply this
deficiency by the addition of fatty bodies.
We spread butter upon bread, we mingle
lard or butter with our biscuit or cake,
and the fat meat and bread are taken
alternately or coincidentally. Thestarch
being a carbon hydrate can afford com?
paratively but little heat in consumption,
and the fats are demanded by the wants
of the system.? United States Milter.
? The Northern part of Adams Coun?
ty, Miss., has been the scene of a terrible
affair. An old farmer, Morris Brown, was
remonstrating with his daughter Eliza
about some trival affair, when the latter be?
coming enraged, seized an axe and striking
her father on the head felled him. After
he hod fallen she chopped him on the
neck in a vain endeavor to sever his
head from his body. Medical attendance
was immediately had but the old man
will die. Eliza is said to be demented.
Both parties are colored. The woman
has been arrested and lodged in jail.
? The oldest surviving Congressman
is Hon. John A. Cuthbert, now a prac?
ticing lawyer of Mobile. He was born
in Savannah, Ga., in 17SS, and repre?
sented Georgia in Congress in 1816.
One of the wise men who knows every?
thing declares that in a few years every
physician in the country will prescribe
Dr. Bull's Cough Syrup to his patients.
We believe it.
THE LAWS OF THE STATE.
Art? l'ttftscd by tlio l>irlMinturc at Ihc Lute
Session.
As Acr Further to Amend the Law in
Reference to the Drawing, Empanel?
ling and Term of Service of Juries.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the State of South
Carolina, now met and sitting in General
Assembly, and by the authority of the
same:
SECTIO? i. That hereafter the Board
of Jury Commissioners iu the several
counties in this State shall, in making up
their annual jury lists in their respective
counties, put upon their lists the names
of all such persons as the said Board
shall deem competent and free from all
legal exceptions, without regard to
whether such persons so placed upon said
jury lists live within five miles of the
court house or more than five miles from
the court house.
Sec. 2. That the grand and petit jurors
drawn from said lists, as hereinbefore
prescribed, shall be summoned by the
Sheriff, and shall attend and serve ac?
cording to the exigency of the summons.
Sec. 3. That hereafter the Clerks of
the Courts in the several counties iu this
State, in empanelling Juries No. 1 and
No. 2 for the trial of causes in the Courts
of Common Pleas, shall place the names
of all the petit jurors iu attendance upon
the Courts, written or printed on slips of
paper of the same size, into a hnt or box,
and therefrom shall draw, as in the trial
of felonies in the Court of Sessions, and
the first twelve so drawn shall constitute
Jury No. 1, and the next twelve so drawn
shall constitute Jury No. 2, and those
remaining undrawn shall be talcs jurors,
who shall be drawn in like manner when
needed in the progress of the Court.
sec. 4. That Irom and after the first
day of June next, whenever the terms of
the Courts of General Sessions and Com?
mon Pleas in the counties of Edgeficld,
Barnwell, Marion, Aiken, Williamsburg,
Hampton and Colletou shall be for two
or more weeks, no petit juror shall be re?
quired to serve more than one week at
any term of the said Courts; that thirty
six jurors shall be drawn in the manner
provided by law, to serve for the first
week, and a like number shall be so
drawn to serve for each subsequent week
of each term of said Courts: Provided,
That whenever a jury shall he charged
with a case such jury shall not be dis?
charged by reason of anything in this
Act contained until a verdict shall have
been found or a mistrial ordered in such
case. That separate writs of t:c?;rc shall
issue for the jurors drawn to serve for
each week of said terms of Court.
Sec. 5. That iu case at any time after
the passage of this Act it shall be
brought to the attention of the resident
Circuit Judge of any circuit that an
irregularity has occurred in the drawing
of juries for any Circuit Court within his
circuit, or that any act has been done
whereby the validity of any juries drawn
or to be drawn may be questioned, it
shall be lawful for such Circuit Judge to
issue his order to the Board of Jury Com?
missioners of the County for which said
Circuit Court shall be held at least fifteen
days before the sitting thereof to proceed
to draw jurors for such term or to take
such measures as may be necessary to
correct such error.
Sec. 6. All Acts or parts of Acts in?
consistent with this Act are hereby re?
pealed.
Approved February 20,1SS0.
The Great Comet of 1S43.
The following extract from Professor
Peirce's lecture on comets and meteors
contains a description of the wonderful
comet of 1843, of which Gould's comet is
supposed to be a re-appearance: .
"About noon on the 28th of February,
1843, groups of people in many of tho
towns of New England, especially in
Portland, Maine, collected at the corners
of the streets, gazing up toward the sun.
Protecting their eyes in the shadows of
the houses, they saw a brilliant object
close to the sun. Such a marvelous spec?
tacle had never before been seen. A
thoughtful sea Captain, Mr. Clark,
brought out his sextant, and repeatedly
measured the distance of the strange ob?
ject from the limb of the sun. These
unique observations are on record, and,
submitted to rigid criticism, attest the
accuracy of tho observer. In about a
week from this time a wonderfully bril?
liant tail of a comet was seen skirting the
horizon soon after sunset, and reaching
more than one-third of the way round the
sky. It was now a tail without a head,
as it was at first head without tail; but
they were members of the same comet.
The best determination of its path was
accomplished by the distinguished as?
tronomer, Sears 0. Walker. At its peri?
helion it passed nearer the sun than any
known comet, with the single exception
of that of 1680, computed by Sir Isaac
Newton, and in the discussion of which
in the Principia he broached the first ap?
proximation to the true theory of the
commetary tail. These two comets ap?
proached so close to the sun that it would
seem quite possible that they touched its
surface, or at least swept in nearer than
the solar corona. It would not have been
an absurd hypothesis that they were
ejected from the sun at the'time of pene?
tration, had it not been for the fact that
the comet of 1680 was seen on its way
down to the sun, and for the remarkable
phenomena which we are about to de?
scribe concerning the comet of 1843. It
may be claimed as a not impossible hy?
pothesis that each of these comets was at
some former time the product of a solar
eruption in accordance with Bufibn's
theory of the origin of comets. It would
only involve a force which would double
the greatest velocity given to the solar
field of hydrogen. But a juster interpre?
tation of the phenomenon, and one which
avoids the necessity of an extravagant
volcanic action, is to be found in the re?
lation between the comets and the mete?
ors. It is simply the splash of the fall?
ing meteors. In about an hour and a
half the comet of 1843, like that of 1680,
went round the sun from one side to the
other. What would have become of the
tail, which was reaching out about 100,
000,000 of miles from the sun to the
earth's orbit? There have been those
who bave actually adopted the incred?
ible, I may say the impossible, hypothe?
sis that the tail rotated through this im?
mense circuit, developing centrifugal
force which all the united powers of the
universe could not have sustained. No!
Tho comet practically left its tail behind
it and began to grow a new tail as it re?
ceded from the sun.?Boston Advertiser.
"What is tho matter with tho darling
creature?" The baby was crying pite
ously, but the nurse had a bottle of Dr.
Bull's Baby Syrup at hand, and the little
fellow was soon comfortable.
? "Digby. will you take some of that
butter?" "I thank you ma'am; I be?
long to the temperance society?can't
take anything strong," replied Digby.
? "The 46th Congress bids fair to dis
inguish itself as the greatest do-nothing
but-talk Congress since the war."?New
I York Sun.